TEHRAN (Press Shia Agency) – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani highlighted the importance of close ties between the Islamic Republic and the Russian Federation and said the two countries should continue their cooperation in Syria “until full security is achieved”.

Speaking at a meeting with the speaker of the Russian State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, in Tehran on Monday, Rouhani pointed to his numerous meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and said, “Every time we met and negotiated, we took a step forward in the development of the ever-growing relations in all areas.”

He further hailed trilateral cooperation between Tehran and Moscow and some Middle Eastern countries as “very precious” and said such relations serve the interests of all regional nations.

“Close ties and cooperation between Iran and Russia on Syria as well as regional peace and security has been very effective and we should continue such cooperation until full security is achieved in Syria and the region,” he noted.

Volodin, for his part, said the development of relations between Tehran and Moscow in recent years has its roots in the “good” decisions of the two countries’ presidents.

Iran and Russia have formed a strong alliance in recent years and have ramped up efforts to boost defense cooperation, trade ties, and cultural interaction.

They have close cooperation on international issues, including the Syrian crisis. They both support the Syrian legitimate government against foreign-backed militancy.